The Food & Drugs Authority (FDA) has placed an effective ban on the importation of bleaching creams into the country because of their harmful effect on users.
The acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the FDA, Delese Mimi Darko, who announced this Wednesday at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) sitting, stated that the FDA has communicated to all importers and dealers in cosmetic products that the importation and sale of body creams laced with a chemical known as ‘hydroquinone’ which causes the bleaching of the skin have been placed on a strict ban.
She mentioned that the decision was taken in consultation with the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), which has also approved of the ban.
Madam Darko stated that the FDA will, henceforth, not register any such cream and authorise its sale on the Ghanaian market.
The FDA boss made the revelation in response to a query by the Chairman of the PAC, James Klutse Avedzi, who wanted to know what the FDA was doing about the flooding of bleaching creams on the Ghanaian market, which is creating a serious danger to the health of Ghanaians.
The acting CEO explained that they had met all importers and sellers of cosmetic products and informed them about the ban. She added that the FDA has adequately equipped all its laboratories for the testing of creams that would to be imported into the country to be able to detect those who would flout the ban.
Madam Darko mentioned that all body creams imported into the country would be subjected to a test at their laboratory to find out that they don’t contain the harmful ‘hydroquinone’ chemical.
She explained to journalists later that the FDA, in conjunction with the Ghana Standards Authority, took the decision because it has been realised that the bleaching creams have been causing serious harmful effects on the skin of users and eventually on the health of users.
On whether the FDA was doing enough monitoring or work in the area of safety of food for consumption, Madam Darko disclosed that the FDA has been carrying out sensitisation programmes for ‘chop bar’ operators and food sellers to ensure that food they sell are always safe.
 By Thomas Fosu Jnr